Thank you for this site and the info. I feel much more prepared to buy a mattress. Leaning towards a latex at this time. We are in a rural area several hours from the retailers we need to see. Probably going with an online purchase. Having back pain also as many others so we need to get something soon.
Hi xfarmer,
I’m glad you found us … and I’m looking forward to hearing about your experiences and of course any questions you may have along the way.
If you let me know your zip code I’d be happy to let you know about any of the better options or possibilities I’m aware of that may be closest to you.
Phoenix
We are in western Nebraska, 69361. I don’t think there is much any closer than the front range of Colorado but any help would be great. We have talked to Brooklynn but need to lay on some latex mattresses before considering an online purchase.
I’m very happy to share something here, to all my friends in this forum. any way i visit your link and i like it very much. its looking very nice and i hope good quality as well.
Hi xfarmer,
You’re right that you are a long way from any mattress stores that carry latex that I’m aware of or could see in a search in Scottsbluff, Torrington, or Alliance…
The closest store that carries any latex that I know of would be Denver mattress in Cheyenne, WY.
The next closest options I’m aware of would be in the Fort Collins, CO list in post #4 here where there are many more choices but of course they’re a fair drive away.
Phoenix
I may be a bit late to the post, but just in case I’m not… Amish Furniture Outlet in Grand Island, NE does carry Pure LatexBLISS mattresses and has many in stock. If you’re coming to the State Fair or Husker Harvest days, the store is right there.
Yes, this is also a shameless plug, as I work there.
Dan
Hi AFO Grand Island,
Thanks for letting us know … although over 300 miles away is a long way unless of course (as you suggested) they would be coming there anyway.
It may also be worth asking PLB to add your store to the retail store finder on their site since you aren’t showing up with a search there even with your own zip code.
Phoenix
I need to update this thread and hopefully get your input. It has been a year since we began this process spending a day driving the front range stores trying mattresses and eventually purchasing an ultimate dreams mattress with a 3" latex on poly. We started with a 28 ILD and moved to a 32. This was a trial mattress and would move to the guest br after determining if latex was for us and the firmness level. We are mid 50’s, 130# back sleeper, 170# side sleeper and both with back pain in the morning though I’m not as bad as my wife. We were getting by ok on the DreamFoam but needed a mattress in the guest room and wanted an upgrade so we purchased a 10" Total Latex from Brooklyn. Both companies have been great to work with.
After receiving the Total with a 32ILD, it did not feel as firm and we were waking with the back pain again. Brooklyn exchanged the 32 for a 36 in the comfort layer but of course the 32 ILD base did not change. That also was uncomfortable not to mention it seems a waste to pay extra for total latex and then put the more firm layer on top. What I’ve done at this point is move the 36 to the Ultimate Dreams mattress in the basement and we’ve been sleeping on that. In talking to Jacob last night he mentioned firmer isn’t always better. I don’t know what to try now.
Do you have any thoughts?
Hi xfarmer,
I’m certainly happy to share some information and suggestions that may be helpful but it will be more general in nature than specific because I can’t feel what you feel and there are too many unknowns and variables involved and I don’t have enough specific information or reference points about mattresses you have tried to know the types of fine tuning or changes that would be most effective for you with any certainty.
Jacob is right that firmer isn’t always better and doesn’t necessarily provide better support because it will depend on whether you are trying to change primary support (which is usually about the deeper layers), secondary support (which is usually about the thickness and softness of the comfort layers) or pressure relief. While firming up the base layers can provide firmer primary support under the heavier parts of the body (such as the hips/pelvis), using comfort layers that are too firm can provide poor secondary support under the more recessed parts of the body because you won’t sink in deeply enough to “fill in” the gaps in your sleeping profile which can also lead to back pain. Don’t forget that you “need” to sink in to some degree to provide “contouring support” under the different parts of the body so you end up with good alignment in all your sleeping positions. There is more about what I call primary and secondary support and their relationship to pressure relief in Post #2 here and post #4 here that may be helpful in understanding what “good support” really means.
There is also more about the most common “symptoms” that people may experience on a mattress and some of the reasons that can contribute to them in post #2 here).
Given your lighter weights … it’s less likely that the firmness of the support core would be an issue and it’s very possible that you may do better with a softer comfort layer that would provide you with better secondary support and pressure relief although only your own sleeping experience will be able to confirm this in “real life”.
There are also some suggestions in post #2 here that may be helpful if you suspect that your mattress is too firm for you and some suggestions in post #4 here that may be helpful if you suspect that your mattress may be too soft.
Phoenix